Family of One
by mickey882
Summary: Pip and the brothers go to New York to continue their quest in making her father's life difficult. This results in Pip getting lost, supervising an uncooperative witch, bickering with a demon, and struggling to keep her secrets secret.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** **This is a short story that takes place in the AU (I'm starting to learn the vocabulary) of my main story, _Inner Demons_. The story will probably be difficult to follow without reading the main story. If you guys want a short summary, I'll include one in the next chapter (since the main story is kind of long).**

 **I don't own the characters of Supernatural or the world of Supernatural. As usual, any critiques or tips are appreciated. :)**

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"Loosen up, kid."

Pip barely registered Dean Winchester's words before a blow suddenly landed on her ribs, causing her to stumble to the side. She tried to check her balance but another hit followed the first one, expertly catching her off guard. A breath wheezed out of her as she backed up, and she could sense the gap that she had left for herself. Dean could have easily followed up his first two hits with another one, but he held back as she caught her breath.

"You're tensing yourself up too much. It's making you slow and easy to knock over." He bounced lightly on his feet to emphasize his point. "You gotta stay light and move faster."

Pip backed up as he moved forward, holding her arms in front of her face. She forced her muscles to relax and watched his movements closely, but every time he so much as twitched she bunched up again. He rammed an arm onto her forearms and shoved her back. She could see his muscles clench as he set his body to throw the hit she knew was coming. His fist swung around and she tensed again, preparing for the blow. Instead of whaling on her jaw, Dean pulled back at the last second and tapped her lightly. Gritting her teeth, Pip lowered her arms.

"You're going on the defensive way too much," he observed. "You're going to have to fight back some time, Pip. You can't hold them off forever."

Her gaze flickered around the room as she avoided looking at him. Although he wasn't hitting very hard and the punches that did land healed almost immediately, they still managed to hurt. She pressed a hand to her side as she nodded at him. "Thank you," she said quietly.

He gazed at her steadily, watching her as if he expected something. "You have to put more effort into this. You were the one who asked for help with fighting. Can't always depend on your head to help you, so you got to learn the hard way."

 _I am putting effort into this_ , she thought sourly. Instead of relaying her thoughts out loud, she ducked her head. "Yes," she answered, swallowing the 'sir' that almost slipped out.

"Why should I bother if you're not?" he pushed.

Her head twitched as her expression twisted. The words she wanted to say clawed at her throat, but she held them back. "I'm sorry, I will do better," she said instead. Her gaze drilled into her feet.

Dean watched her until he gave a loud sigh and ran a hand through his hair. "Kid, someday you're going to have to stick up for yourself." His jaw worked as if he wanted to say more, but he turned away instead. "We'll stop for now."

She glanced up and watched as he walked away, suddenly feeling unsettled. It felt as if there had been a test she didn't know about, and she just failed it.

...

Sam's tired eyes lifted as Pip entered the main room of the bunker with Dean close behind her.

"Hey," Sam greeted, leaning back in his seat with a small sigh. "How'd training go?"

Dean gave a slight shrug, his gaze travelling around the room as if double-checking that there wasn't something waiting to jump him. "Good enough," he grunted, pulling a chair and slamming into it. "What's the forecast for today? And by forecast I mean whose face can we punch in?"

Sam glanced between Pip and Dean, his eyes questioning. She ignored his probing look as she sat down at the table as well, focusing her attention on the bottle of water waiting there instead.

"Right, well," Sam finally said, clearing his throat. "We've knocked a few people off of Finch's list already, but they were mostly involved with the factories, right? Dealing with magic goods and that sort of thing? I was thinking we could focus our attention on another part of Rowan's empire."

"And that is?" Dean asked while opening a beer.

"Dean, you shouldn't be drinking that after a workout," Sam said.

Dean gave a small grunt, tipping the bottle back and taking a long swig. "Wouldn't call it a workout," he muttered.

 _Don't roll your eyes, don't roll your eyes_ , Pip chanted mentally, her shoulders hunching forward as she crossed her arms. She kept her eyes locked on Sam to prevent herself from doing so, and ended up boring into him with an intense look.

Sam shook his head, his expression exasperated. "Anyway, instead of going after the goods, we could go after his information. According to Finch, and Pip, he has tons of people scattered around for the purpose of collecting information. He keeps an eye on police activity, magic activity, blackmail, things like that."

"Sounds like a lot of people we get to go after," Dean said, taking another sip.

"Well, not necessarily," Sam answered. He tapped a finger on a location circled on the map in front of him. "There are several locations where the information is gathered before being passed on to Rowan. One of the biggest locations is in," he gave a low sigh, "New York City."

Pip leaned forward as the name rang a bell in her memory. She'd heard of the place, on more than one occasion, but had never been there. Father's information came to him, not the other way around.

Dean seemed to perk up at Sam's words. "Sounds like we're going to have to take a trip to the Big Apple, eh, Sammy?" A grin tugged at the corners of his lips. "Love me some big city life."

Sam grimaced. "Yeah, well, big city life means it'll be a pain getting this job done. It's surrounded by apartments and stores, so getting rid of it will be hard without collateral damage. We'd have to be careful about it, and that will take time." He fiddled with the map in front of him, moving assorted weapons and books out of the way. "We can't just blow the place up like we have the warehouses. Especially not in New York."

"So we burn it?" Dean asked. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. Suddenly he seemed all business.

Sam's eyes flickered to his brother for a moment before focusing back on the map. "Yeah, carefully. Anything else would take too long, and we can't take it all. But I'm thinking we can at least steal some of it as well." He gave a light shrug. "Maybe it will be useful."

 _Steal information_ , she thought, unease bubbling under her skin as she focused on Sam's words. The brothers didn't plan on destroying all of her father's information. If this place held so much of her father's studies, there was no doubt that a file on her would be included. Pip's anxiety grew, her panic beginning to ring bells in her head. If the brothers managed to find it...

 _You could always listen to what I've been telling you and just ditch these two idiots_ , Amon butted in, his voice sour. _You're exerting too much energy on trying to hide things from them._

 _They haven't given me much of a choice_ , she reminded him. Her eyes shifted between the two Winchesters as they spoke to each other, struggling to focus on what they were saying.

Amon's snort buzzed in her skull. _You've managed to get away from your father_ _―_ _twice. I'm certain even someone like you could handle these two._

 _Wow_ , she responded, her mental voice dry. _That almost sounded like a compliment. I'm touched._

 _Yeah, I'm just showering you with kindness._

"What about me?"

Pip jumped at Ollie's voice from the bunker's hallway. Sam and Dean were less startled and both turned to stare Ollie down.

"You'll stay here," Sam said, his tone firm. Ollie scoffed, but Dean interrupted him before he could speak.

"And by stay here, he means you'll sit tight and not touch anything at all. Or better yet, you could just leave until we come back."

"Does Pip get to stay with me at least?" Ollie asked, his usual smirk dancing on his lips. His heavy gaze turned to rest on her, and she narrowed her eyes at him. He always seemed up to something, and she struggled to stay one step ahead. She was never successful.

 _I can't stay behind_ , she thought. She had to make sure Sam and Dean didn't find anything about her. Bundling up her thoughts, she glared at Ollie to shut up, imagining she was shooting him one of those silent messages Sam and Dean always seemed to share.

"She'll come with us," Sam said as he stood up. The chair scraped loudly against the bunker floor as he pushed it back.

Pip let out a small, relieved sigh. She wouldn't have to beg or bargain to go.

"What, and I don't get to join?" Ollie shot back. "I'm super helpful."

Sam shook his head slightly as he gathered up papers that had been scattered around the table. "You can be super helpful here." Dean followed his brother's lead and stood up as well. He carried his beer with him as he lumbered towards Ollie and shouldered his way past him. Pip didn't miss the stare-down the two had as Dean passed.

"I'm beginning to feel used," Ollie complained, focusing on Sam again. Pip stiffened and stood up as well. Ollie's complaints made her feel anxious, as if Sam would change his mind and force both of them to stay at the bunker. Or worse, that he would cave in and bring Ollie along. "I love New York," Ollie continued, his voice wistful. "I know some great places we can visit there, and I can help out with the―"

"Yeah, we'll be fine, thanks," Sam interjected. His words were sharp.

"Hmph," Ollie muttered, but he was still smiling. He fixed his gaze on Pip again, his dark eyes glittering at her. "Very well." The rose scar on her palm suddenly felt warm when he smiled at her and her fingers twitched at the sensation.

She did not like this one bit.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Sorry I've been slow. I've had some major writer's block, and I'm hoping to just force my way through it. Thank you to those who favorited, followed, and reviewed. :)**

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The trip to New York ended up taking two days of driving and an overnight stay in a motel. The brothers apparently slept in the car most of the time if a trip took too long, but with three people, they decided to find a place to stay the night. No matter how small Pip was, there wasn't enough room for her in the car.

By the time Sam said they were getting close, Pip felt groggy, nauseous, and cramped. Initially she had started the drive by gradually weaseling information out of Sam about New York City. After a while, though, he seemed less inclined to answer, and Dean was sick of her repeating questions. With nothing else to satisfy her excitement, Pip switched between drifting in out and of sleep and staring out the window. Now that the city was close, she pressed herself against the window to see the skyline.

Pip sucked in a sharp breath at the sight of the buildings dotting the horizon. "That's New York?" she breathed.

"Yep," Sam said, sounding particularly less than thrilled. "Dean, wake up." He nudged at his brother. Dean had spent hours arguing on why he should be the one driving, only to end up sleeping heavily through the last portion of the trip.

 _Apparently he hasn't been sleeping well_ , she thought, eyeing Dean carefully.

Dean jerked away from his brother's prodding, his head whipping around. "Hm?" he grunted out, bleary eyes slowly peeling open.

"We're here," Sam said, tilting his head forward to look at the buildings that were growing closer. His face was set in a grim expression.

Pip stayed pressed to the window as the city grew closer and closer and a tunnel eventually swallowed them whole.

...

New York City ended up being so much more than Pip expected.

She tilted her head back as she tried to see as much of the city as she could, though the feat seemed impossible. The city was a cacophony of sound and lights, enveloping her and the brothers in a thick layer of noises.

The Winchesters seem unaffected as they strode ahead of her, their backs barely visible as she busied herself by spinning around and viewing the world around her. Despite the late hour there were still a number of people cluttering the sidewalk. Some lounged at brightly lit cafes while others walked purposely towards some invisible destination.

Pip stared at the billowy skirt of one woman who strolled past, her eyes drifting up to take in the vest, long shirt, and bright purple hair. She squinted at the hair before her eyes caught on a passing store advertising watches and jewelry. Unfortunately the place was closed, but an advertisement depicting a man and a woman smiled at Pip, their expression telling her to come back later. Her pace slowed as she tried to see the name of the building until she stumbled over the lip of grating on the sidewalk.

A hand clamped down on her shoulder as she tripped, catching her. "Careful." Sam's voice was a quiet murmur behind her, somehow audible in such a loud place.

Pip glanced up at him and then towards Dean. At some point the brothers had sandwiched her between the two of them, with Sam taking up the rear of the train. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"Keep up, kid," Dean said over his shoulder. He twisted to face them now that her near-fall had caused them to stop. "You'll have time for gawking tomorrow." The light of the neon signs painted the angles of his face in purples and reds. The stream of people now flowed around them.

"Sorry," she repeated automatically. She followed as Dean started moving again, wrapping her red coat around her. The brothers had gotten her a new coat since her last jacket was too light and also destroyed. She was grateful for it now as a sharp wind whistled past her and she buried her hands deep in the pockets.

Despite the chilly weather, Dean insisted dropping the Impala―what Sam called it―off with someone they knew. Neither of the brothers had elaborated much to her, but from what she understood, Dean didn't trust the car to be left alone in the city while they were doing what they were here for. And their friend, whoever he was, would take good care of it apparently.

Pip huffed, her breath puffing out in a visible cloud. She certainly wished for the car now. Peeking over her shoulder, she pulled down the scarf that Sam had given her. "Where are we going again?" she asked Sam, carefully maneuvering around another grate.

"To our motel," he answered. "It's too late to do anything else. And a certain someone looks as if they need to sleep." His eyes scanned his brother. "We should be there soon." Lifting his phone, he squinted at it as he held it close. "Should be."

"Is this with another "friend"?" she asked carefully, unsure about the idea. She didn't relish sleeping with yet another stranger when she had just gotten used to the Winchesters. Her icy fingers plucked at her coat nervously.

"No," he answered. "Dean and I just didn't feel like hunting down a motel like we usually do, so I looked up one beforehand."

She bobbed her head in a half-hearted nod. The city around her demanded too much of her attention. Even as she tried to focus on following Dean, some loud noise or flashy sign would grab her eyes.

Dean led them into the midst of a throng of people and the noise became even louder. She forced her eyes to focus on his broad back as the press of bodies surrounded her. "Dean, slow down," she huffed, zigzagging as several people moved into her path. Dean started to move away from her. "Dean," she tried again, skipping slightly to keep the pace.

Suddenly a man in a black coat cut in front of her and she stumbled back. "Excuse me," she murmured quietly as she stepped around the stranger. She tried to move forward again, but the tide of people pushed her off course. Her short stature did little to help her as she was carried along. Eventually she was able to separate herself. She searched for Dean's familiar jacket.

Dean was gone.

She blinked once, twice. She bounded ahead a few steps, struggling to see past the figures that clustered around her. "Dean?" she called, her breath curling around her face. No one answered.

She spun around to search for the other brother, but there was no one behind her. "Sam?" she called again. Her voice hitched higher. "Sam? Dean?" A few people shot her confused glances but continued moving.

Pip broke into a brisk jog, struggling to move through the crowd. "Sam! Dean!" She tried to ignore her thudding heartbeat. _Don't panic_ , she told herself, but she could feel the weight of dread settle in her gut. She called the Winchesters again, now forcing her way through.

The sidewalk spat her out onto the road without her noticing and she narrowly avoided getting hit with a car. A shrill horn pierced the night and she lurched back. Spinning around, she searched desperately for any sign of the Winchesters. But there was no sign of them. The noise of the city suddenly seemed deafening.

Her breath picked up as she realized she had no idea where they were. Or where she was. _I'm lost_ , she thought as an icy grip of fear settled around her heart.


	3. Chapter 3

Sam Winchester liked to believe he had many good qualities. Qualities that made him a mature adult who could present well in a job interview. He wouldn't be the first to say he was a good person, he knew he wasn't flawless. But years and years of struggling to bear the guilt he has built up made him at least see what he was good at.

Responsible? _Check._

Organized? _Check._

Ability to work well with others, even the most difficult people? _Dean-sized check._

But New York City managed to take all those qualities, jumble them into a ball, and toss them aside. The place was overwhelming, and Sam found himself suspicious towards everything. Senses and precautions he had used well over the years were suddenly on overdrive, struggling to keep an eye on every dark corner, every suspicious person, every loud sound. Being a hunter put his qualities to good use on a regular basis, but this time it was too much.

There were way too many variables.

So he didn't notice when right away when Pip went missing. He had no idea when the moment occurred, but he eventually realized that she wasn't there anymore. One moment she was there, and the next, she wasn't. The realization that he couldn't see her red coat bobbing in front of him anymore jolted him out of his overwhelmed state and he skidded to a stop.

"Pip?" he called. A wave of faces passed by him, but none of them Pip. He called her name again, craning his neck and using his height to scan the crowd. _Nothing._

"Dean," he tried instead. His eyes razed the throng of people for his brother's familiar figure. Dean was nowhere to be found. The realization that he had gotten separated slowly sunk in.

"Dammit," Sam cursed. He dug into his pocket and pulled out his phone for the hundredth time. At least this time it wasn't to look at the address he'd been constantly checking. His fingers fumbled as he hit the speed-dial for his brother's phone. While the phone rang he jammed his hand into his pocket, searching the sidewalk around him. His leg bounced impatiently. He knew something was bound to go wrong in New York, he just hadn't expected it so soon.

" _This is Dean_ _―_ ," the voicemail began, but Sam dropped the phone from his ear and hung up before it finished. He let out a frustrated grunt and moved to shove the phone back in his pocket when a hand suddenly clamped down on his shoulder.

Sam's hand immediately flew to the knife tucked into his pants and whirled around.

"Sam." Dean's face glared back at Sam. "What the hell happened? Where were you?"

"Dean," Sam breathed, reassuring himself by saying his brother's name. "I don't know, I guess we got separated by the crowd." He peered around his brother. "Where's Pip?"

Dean's hand tightened on his brother's shoulder. "That's what I was wondering. She's not with you?"

Sam muttered another curse and shook his head, his long hair falling into his face. He ran a quick hand through it and searched the sidewalk again as if she would magically appear. "I guess we all got lost."

Dean shuffled from foot to foot a bit, his jaw working. His eyes flickered around as he avoided looking at Sam. "Maybe she's not lost, Sam," he finally said.

Sam shot his brother a side glance. "Dean," he warned.

Dean didn't back down. "Sam, maybe she doesn't want to be found."

Sam's face twisted at the expression his brother was wearing. As if he was a parent trying to tell their kid about a pet's death. Like Sam wasn't able to comprehend whatever loss Dean thought Sam would feel. Sam swallowed the sharp retort that leapt to his mind, turning to stare at one of the brightly lit shops that sat next to them.

He wasn't stupid or naive. They knew practically nothing about Pip, and Pip knew nothing about them. What Sam did know he figured out himself. The girl was an open book; she was flighty, scared, and stuffed with secrets. It was obvious she was hiding something from them and it wasn't much of a surprise that she would run away. He shouldn't care, and he shouldn't trust her. But some part of him was already doing both of those things and it only made him more frustrated.

But he wouldn't admit to his brother that he was already making those mistakes. So he went for the logical route.

"We still need to find her, Dean," he responded. He swung his gaze to meet his brother's eyes, matching Dean's stare. "Remember why we first looked for her, what happened in that town. Maybe she's telling the truth when she says it wasn't her choice, or maybe she's not. But if she isn't, we can't let her run around loose in a city like this. And if she is telling the truth, then maybe she really is lost. Either way, we need to find her."

Dean's look sharpened as he studied Sam, and Sam knew he was searching to see if there was more to Sam's explanation. Sam kept his face blank, hiding his thoughts. The last thing he wanted was a lecture from Dean about trust.

"Fine," Dean finally replied. He dropped his hand from Sam's shoulder and Sam relaxed. "I hope you have a plan, then."

"No," Sam admitted. "But I'll figure something out."

" _We'll_ figure something out," Dean corrected. He brushed off the show of camaraderie and shouldered his brother aside and started walking.

Sam let out a small sigh before following his brother.

...

Pip walked three blocks before truly admitting that she was lost. She had no idea where the brothers were or how to find them.

Chewing on her lip, she turned a full circle, scanning her surroundings again. A low buzz hummed from the neon sign next to her, bright letters advertising some sort of clothing store. Horns honked in the distance. Until a loud one blared near her and she jumped.

She had no idea what to do. She'd been moving in a straight line, hoping to catch up to the brothers. Did they turn somewhere? She didn't have one of those cell phones she saw the brothers using before. Even if she did have one, she didn't know how to use them. _Don't they require numbers or something?_ she thought, distracted. She had no clue what number reached the Winchesters.

She couldn't go to the police, not since her father revealed he had people connected to the police. Maybe it wasn't everywhere, but she would take no chances.

Her fingers curled, rubbing against the rose scar. She didn't want to call Ollie either.

 _Do they notice I'm gone?_ she asked herself. Her eyes drifted over the sidewalk, examining the people around her. She rubbed at her forehead, trying to chase away a headache that was beginning to form there. Her stomach decided to growl then.

She reached inside her coat pocket, gently touching the bills tucked in there. At least Sam had given her some money. She didn't know where they were going or how to find Sam and Dean, but at least she had that.

Turning sharply on her heel, she picked a direction and started to walk. She didn't know where people went to find information, but perhaps a restaurant would be helpful. And food would help her think.

She ignored Amon's grumbling in her head as she searched for a place to eat. Her search didn't take very long before she found a place.

The building advertised food and drinks in bright flashing signs. _Murphy's Pub_ was plastered on the window along with an assortment of other names she assumed were brand names. Her feet hesitated at the doorway and she tilted her head back to peer up at the sign. The door was propped open despite the chilly air, and music and the smell of food spilled out onto the sidewalk.

The place was stuffed to the brim with people. There was a counter to the right where numerous patrons sat, hunched over whatever was in front of them. An assortment of bottles cluttered the wall behind the bar. To the left sat a few small, squat wooden tables filled with more customers. The very back of the building held what looked like game tables that groups of people clustered around, shouting. Everything seemed dirty and dingy.

Pip's stomach growled again and she shoved away her hesitation. She didn't know what a pub was, but it had food and people. That's all she needed. More people meant more information; she had nothing to be afraid of.

 _Mostly_. The thought soured in her head.

Rolling her shoulders back, she straightened and held up her chin as she marched to the counter. She had no idea what to do, but there were several others sitting there so it seemed like the right move.

A man stood behind the counter, pouring a drink and fiddling with one of the levers. His head was bald but he had a bushy red beard covering a thick neck. The man was large, with broad shoulders and thick arms that made Pip think of tree trunks. Several tattoos decorated his arms and neck. He looked up as Pip sat in one of the stools and raised a brow at her. "Uh... can I help you?" His voice sounded gravelly.

She stiffened as he addressed her, realizing how big the man was now that she was in front of him. Pip avoided looking at him and carefully scooted the stool forward. The thing was rickety and wobbled as she moved it. When she was close enough to the counter, she set her elbows down on the wooden top and settled her face into a confident mask. "Yes, I am hungry and would like some food and drink."

"Uh huh," the man responded, his voice dry. He mirrored Pip and folded his arms on the counter as well, giving her a hard stare. His whole frame hunched over to meet her eyes. "You wouldn't happen to have an ID with you, would you?" His expression was sardonic.

Pip leaned away slightly, her eyes glancing around nervously. _ID?_ Her brows furrowed in confusion, but she quickly smoothed her face. "I have money," she reassured him. Maybe that was what caused his suspicion. For once she wasn't planning on stealing food.

Her statement seemed like the wrong one because the man's face quickly hardened. "Look, kid," he said, his voice rough. "You hardly look old enough to even walk in here much less sit at the bar. I've seen some stupid attempts, but yours takes the cake."

Pip blinked in surprise. The man's words made no sense at all. _What cake is he talking about?_ "There is an age limit for food?" she asked instead, bewildered.

The man's eyes narrowed and she flinched at his dark look. Apparently she kept choosing the wrong thing to say.

He craned his neck to look around her, tugging lightly at his beard. The thick red hairs of it almost reached what he called the bar. "Damn tables are full," he muttered. Pip glanced over her shoulder as well, unsure if he was talking to her and expected a response.

Her stomach growled then and she winced as the sound of it drew his eyes back to her. He studied her silently for a few moments. "Are you planning on getting any drinks with your food?" he asked finally.

"Um, do you have any water?" she queried.

The man's expression melted from distrust to a baffled look. "Yeah, all right then," he responded. His thick red brows lowered over his eyes as he stared at her. "You can sit here, just no alcohol. I'll get you a menu."

 _Oh_ , Pip thought. _Alcohol._ "Thank you," she said. Her fingers picked at the edge of the bar as she watched him walk away. She would have many questions when he came back, and hopefully he had some answers.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry again for the long wait for an update. I endeavored to make it longer for you guys (I promise that's not the cause for the slow update). And I wanted to say that while Sam and Dean aren't with Pip at the moment, I will continue to include their perspective so we still get to see them. Their POV isn't very long this chapter, but it'll be longer the next one. As always, let me know what you guys think or any improvements you think I could use, thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy. :)**

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It didn't take long for the man to return and slap a menu down in front of Pip.

Pip started at the sound, her mind surging up automatically before she pushed it back down again. She nodded a quick thanks at him, ignoring the suspicious look he was eyeing her with. He moved to the side and began wiping off a glass. His eyes darted to her every few moments.

Pip stared at the menu as she tried to focus on how to ask her questions and what food to pick. The noise of the place did little to help her concentration. Fortunately the menu seemed to have pretty basic foods that she recognized; particularly the burgers. None of the items listed under "Dessert" sounded familiar, but she just decided to avoid that section. There was a list of drinks off to the side that she glanced at just to satisfy her curiosity. She knew beer, though she didn't understand the specific names. The other drinks were beyond her. _Vodka, whiskey, rum..._ she quoted in her head. Her brows lowered. She had no idea there were so many.

She settled on just a burger and water, picking the safe option. Pulling out her money, she tucked it under the lip of the bar to privately count it and make sure there was enough. _Twenty dollars._ Flipping through the bills reminded her of the days with the Reverend, learning how to count money in math lessons. Or dealing with payments for her father. She shivered despite the warmth of the pub.

"A burger please," she said quickly, forcing her thoughts back to the present. She leaned onto the bar, hoping the man could hear her over the din. "And water."

His eyebrows lowered at her before he glanced around the room as if searching for someone. When he didn't find what he was looking for he slammed a glass down and moved towards Pip. "Goddamn Tom," he cursed. "Unable to do his only damn job. Fine, kid, I'll play your waiter too." He snatched the menu from her.

Pip flinched away, her instincts roiling.

He seemed to soften at her reaction. "Sorry," he apologized roughly, running a hand over his face and giving an embarrassed look. His voice was even lower than before. "Can't help my temper sometimes."

She stared at him, her muscles stiff and ready to run. _Relax_ , she told herself, making her muscles loosen. She was overreacting. After a few moments she realized she should probably give a response. The words caught in her throat so she gave a robotic nod instead.

He studied her for a few moments before walking off again, muttering another awkward apology. Pip couldn't help but watch as he left. A wary feeling settled in her gut. Every time the man looked at her he seemed calculating, like he was trying to figure her out.

Maybe it was just general concern, but paranoia whispered in Pip's ear. Now she wanted to eat and leave as quickly as possible. She could find information elsewhere. _Hopefully_ , she thought, but the idea didn't seem appealing. She couldn't be scared of everyone.

She scraped at the bar absentmindedly with a dirty nail while her thoughts plagued her, returning to her goal of finding Sam and Dean. She'd had several opportunities now to ask someone for help, but found herself stalling or distracting herself instead of using them. _Maybe I should just leave the Winchesters behind here_. The thought caused an unexpected tightening her chest and her fingers curled into a fist.

Logic screamed at her to not look for the brothers. When the Winchesters first agreed to put off dealing with her in exchange for her father, she didn't know them very well. Even now she knew little about them, but at least she could recognize how strange it was that they would do that. They were _hunters_ , and now that she knew the full extent of the meaning of the word, she knew they were well trained to kill things like her. Had been for their entire lives, as far as Dean described it. They knew she was dangerous, and yet decided to play nice? Something was off, and Pip had no idea what it was. But instincts had been telling her to leave before she found out ever since she'd first stumbled into the brothers. And she'd been ignoring it.

Pip let out a quiet groan and slumped onto the bar, pressing her forehead against the rough wood. Jagged splinters poked into her skin. She had an easy opportunity to escape the brothers, and yet again she knew she wasn't going to take it.

 _I'm naive_ , she told herself.

 _And stupid_ , Amon added. He'd been delightfully silent for a while until now and Pip stifled another quiet groan at his voice.

 _You wouldn't happen to have anything helpful to say, would you?_ she asked, secretly hoping he would somehow know where to find the Winchesters. _Do you know where they were going?_ More than likely she would already know if he did have the answer, but sometimes Amon was able to keep things secret from her. She wasn't sure how.

 _As if I would tell you if I did_ , he answered disdainfully.

Pip rolled her eyes and turned her head to the side. Her cheek brushed the bar as she looked down the length of it. There were a few patrons glancing curiously at her, but for the most part they were absorbed in whatever they were doing. The song that had been playing overhead ended and switched to a new one.

A basket clattered neared her head and she sat up. The red-bearded man from before had returned and placed a burger in front of her and a glass of water. "Thank you," she murmured before grabbing the glass and taking eager gulps of it. The man gave a sharp nod.

"Hey, Shane," called a woman sitting at the bar. Her blonde hair was scraped back in a tight ponytail and she wore a black leather jacket. She held an empty glass in the air and waved it. "Can I get a refill?"

The man apparently called Shane grimaced as he looked at the customer and Pip could see his reluctance in the rigid set of his shoulders. "Yeah," he answered. He scratched at his red beard and nodded to Pip again before walking away.

She wasn't sure what the nod was for, or why he was unwilling to go, but she focused on her food instead of wondering about it.

The first few bites where incredible, and she tilted her head back and shut her eyes as she savored it. The burger was practically inhaled soon after that and she sat licking her fingers, wishing desperately for a second one. The burgers weren't expensive and she had more than enough money for another, but she didn't want to risk it in case she needed money later. In case she didn't manage to find Sam and Dean anytime soon.

With the burger gone she moved on to the fries that came with it, which were a pleasant surprise. It was probably a mistake on Shane's part, since she hadn't ordered fries, but she wasn't going to say anything. She ate them slowly, though, wanting to both savor them and take up time.

The shouting in the bar washed over her. There was a cracked TV hanging up next to the bar and several people were clustered around it, clutching their beer and shouting at it. Occasionally a loud crack would echo from the back of the room where people were playing whatever table game was back there. The best part of all the noise was that no one paid attention to her. Once their initial curiosity wore off, at least.

Her fingers scraped against the tissue paper lining the bottom of the basket as she reached for more fries. She looked down in dismay to see all the fries were gone. _Time to get on with it, then_ , she told herself. "Excuse me, er, Shane," she called. "I was wondering if you could help me." She half expected him to fix her with the angry look he'd been wearing ever since she walked in, but instead he turned to her with mild curiosity.

"Yeah? What's that?" he asked, his voice gruff. Picking up one of the glasses, he examined the bottom of it with one eye squinted shut. He wiped at it with a rag.

"What are the nearby motels and where can I find them?"

He blew on the glass and gave it one more swipe before setting it down and putting the rag to the side. "Don't you have one of those fancy smart phones that could give you the answer to that?" He set his elbows on the bar and leaned forward. His whole frame seemed to loom over her despite being hunched over.

Pip shook her head. "I don't have a phone with me."

She could see him process that answer as he raised a brow at her. "Don't have a phone with you," he echoed. "What about your parents, kid?"

Pip rubbed at her forehead. "My parents aren't here."

"Where are they?"

She blew out a frustrated sigh. This was a mistake. _Time for half-truths, then._ "I came to New York City with my brothers. We were heading to our motel, or wherever they planned to stay, when we accidentally got separated. I'm trying to find my way back to them."

"Lost in New York," he said with a laugh that lacked humor. "Couldn't have picked a better place. You should try the police."

She frowned and tapped a finger on her stool. "Can you tell me where nearby motels are?"

His eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What's your story, kid? You show up in a pub all by yourself, admit you're lost, but avoid going to the police. No phone, no ID. Smells like you're hiding something, or running from something, and I don't want any of that shit dragged to my pub."

Pip leaned back as if he'd slapped her. She looked away, staring at the peeling edges of one of the signs plastered on the window. An image of Officer Denver's broken body wormed it's way into her mind. This had been a _very_ bad idea.

"Right," she said quickly. She pulled out the small wad of bills in her pocket, fingering through them until she counted out the price of the burger. "Thank you for the meal."

"Hey," Shane interrupted, placing a massive hand on the bar to catch her attention. He paused, his jaw working as if he were chewing over his words. "Do you and your... brothers know of any specific places? Somewhere they'd know to look for you. You can't just go searching through every motel for them."

She watched him warily for a few moments before shaking her head. There was the place where her father gathered information, but she only partially remembered the address and she didn't want to risk going there. She had no idea what waited there.

"Any places the two of you went to together today?" he tried again.

Pip started to shake her head again but paused. _The friend's house_ , she realized. She could retrace her steps back to there, talk to him, and get him to call the Winchesters.

"I'm guessing from your expression you've thought of something," Shane said wryly.

"Yes," she answered, a small grin tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Thank you." She was relieved to have a step in the right direction. Pulling out the bills she'd already counted out, she placed them on the bar and nudged them towards Shane.

"Uh huh," he grunted, tucking the bills into a pocket. He opened his mouth to say more when a voice suddenly called from behind Pip.

"Pip!"

Pip stiffened at the familiar voice, her eyes widening. She whirled around and nearly fell off the wobbly stool.

Ollie stood at the entrance to the place, waving a hand at her while he grinned. Despite her horrified look, he shouldered his way past an overstuffed table and moved towards the bar, his long black winter coat flapping behind him.

"That one of your brothers?" Shane asked.

"No," she blurted, then winced at her tone. "No, he's not," she repeated more mildly.

"Friend of yours, then." It wasn't a question.

She didn't answer. Instead she glared at the witch who always seemed to find her when she didn't want to be found. "What are you doing here?" she hissed, her eyes narrowing.

"As if you're surprised I'm here," Ollie answered, sardonic. "There's no way I would just let you three skip off to New York without me." He seemed to want to say more, but his eyes drifted to where Shane stood behind the bar. Shane straightened and met his gaze, crossing his arms so that the muscles in his arms bulged.

"Who's your friend, Pip?" Ollie asked, still smiling. He either didn't notice or didn't care about the look Shane was giving him.

"Pip?" Shane snorted. He glanced at Pip as if he expected her to laugh at a joke, only to raise his brows when he saw she wasn't laughing.

"Shane," she supplied, ignoring the man in question. "He was helping me."

"With finding the boys, I imagine? I'm not sure how helpful he could be. But, that's why I'm here." He looked almost boyish with his cheeky smile and dark hair that curled around his ears.

 _When I'd been avoiding his help in the first place_ , she thought. But she wasn't going to turn him away now that he was already here. "So you know where they are?"

He waved a dismissive hand and Pip bristled.

 _He's going to say something stupid_ , Amon guessed.

"They're not important right now," Ollie finally said.

"You just said that's why you were here!" Pip said hotly.

"I'm here to be helpful," he corrected.

"Who is this guy?" Shane muttered. His posture hadn't relaxed at all.

"Shane!" The woman from before shouted again, waggling her glass in the air. "More!" Her jacket was off now, her long sleeves rolled up. A man leaned next to her with his back against the bar, shouting at the TV and nudging her every so often.

Shane seemed to become even more tense. His calloused knuckles tightened against his arm and his eyes narrowed at the woman. "I think you've had enough, Leslie."

"Aw, c'mon, ya fat lug." Leslie gave a sloppy grin, her head tilting to the side. "S'a good game, Yankees are winning."

Pip squinted at the woman in confusion. "What's wrong with her?" Despite the dim lighting of the place, she could see the woman's bright red cheeks and her sloppy movements.

Ollie's smile was gone as he watched the woman. "Just an idiot."

Pip winced at the loud tone of his voice. Knowing him, he probably wanted to be heard.

"You shut up," Shane said, glaring at Ollie.

"What did you say?" Leslie said, her eyes struggling to focus on Ollie. Her smile was wiped. The man who had been leaning next to her seemed to catch on to the conversation and tilted his head forward to stare at Ollie from his position behind Leslie.

"Nothing." Ollie's voice was smooth as silk but twice as oily. "The way you look now speaks for me."

Leslie gave a shrug and scooped up a glass full of amber liquid sitting next to her. "Hard-ass," she muttered before knocking the glass back, swallowing a huge gulp. Pip had to assume the glass belonged to the man next to her.

Her friend seemed less inclined to let Ollie's words go. "Hey jackass, back the fuck off," the man bit out, now standing up straight. Seeing him clearly, now that he wasn't tucked behind Leslie, revealed he was nearly as large as Shane. He looked just as red as Leslie.

Pip stiffened as she felt the tension in the air from whatever interaction Ollie decided he wanted to have with the two. "Stop," she whispered fiercely, tugging on the sleeve of his dark coat. Ollie didn't listen.

"What, is it boy-toy to the rescue?" he said with a smirk. Ollie's shoulder's tensed as if he knew the fight he was about to cause.

"I'm warning you," the man said, his hands tightening into fists. The bar suddenly seemed quieter, everyone collectively holding their breaths.

"Yeah, go back to the whore tugging on your sleeve there," Leslie cut in.

Pip felt the breath whoosh out of her as she realized the woman was talking about her. She vaguely recognized the word as an insult, something she knew from her days with the Reverend. Ollie went deathly still in her grip. "Ollie―," she began.

In one swift movement, Ollie snatched up the glass Shane had been cleaning and threw it at the couple. Pip had a only a moment to be grateful that he wasn't spouting spells before the glass collided with the man's face, clonking him in the nose with a dull thud.

The man reeled back in shock while Leslie leapt up in outrage. "You goddamn dick!" she shouted before lunging at Ollie, knocking over her stool.

The pub seemed to release the breath it'd been holding, only now the whole place seemed to leap into chaos. Someone was trying to hold the man back while others jumped to Leslie and her friend's rescue. Pip wasn't sure if they were part of their group of friends or not, but she didn't care to find out.

Another bulky man swung a punch at Ollie while he wrestled with Leslie, managing to sock Ollie on the jaw. Ollie snatched a glass that had been knocked over in the chaos and slammed it into Leslie's head. When she buckled he rolled out from her grip and ducked as someone else tossed a bar stool his way.

Ollie moved like a fish through a stream as he wormed his way through the crowd of people. He dodged multiple hits, managing to stay on his feet despite the few times he did get whacked and the people determined to take him down. Pip gapped at him for a few moments before reality sunk in again. She glanced over her shoulder to see Shane's reaction, only to discover the burly man missing. Hearing a roar, she turned around in time to see Shane clawing at Leslie who was currently trying to lunge at Ollie again. The woman's fingers were curved into claws, her mouth open to shout an endless flow of curses and screams.

Pip barely noticed the brown bottle being tossed her way, and ducked in time to watch it go flying past and smash into the shelves behind her, taking several bottles with it. "Ollie!" she shouted, struggling to find the witch again in the mass of people. She leaped onto one of the stools and then onto the top of the bar, searching the place. She spotted him towards the back, currently punching a stranger only to receive a healthy punch in return. "Ollie!" she called again, cupping her hands around her mouth. He gave no response.

Pip grit her teeth and closed her fingers into a fist, pressing into the rose on her palm. "Ollie!" She focused her mind on him.

Ollie twitched his head out of the way of another swing before he looked up at her. His dark eyes glittered even from the back of the bar and he shot her a wide grin. _He's enjoying this_ , she thought with disbelief. He started to work his way towards her. The process was even slower than before, now that more than a few customers were knocked out on the floor.

"We need to go," she said when he finally reached the bar. "Either you come with me or I leave you behind."

"Well that's no way to treat someone who just saved your honor," he replied. His head tilted back to grin up at her.

Ignoring him, Pip jumped down from the bar and headed for the door, eager to be gone. She wasn't sure whether she wanted to stick to her first plan or follow Ollie, but she knew she was ready to go.

...

Dean tapped his phone to close the call and turned to face his brother who was currently standing off to the side and looking like a guard dog. Sam was rim-rod straight, his eyes raving the sidewalk. The bag of supplies he'd been carrying was tucked between his legs and the building behind him so that his hands were free. Dean didn't doubt his brother was going through a million scenarios in his head where they hadn't lost Pip, evidenced by the furrow in Sam's brow.

Sam noticed his brother hanging up the phone and zeroed in on him. His expression was hopeful. "So?" he asked.

"He hasn't seen her," Dean answered. " I told him to keep an eye out, though." Their friend, Jake, was a hunter they happened to know through friends of friends. Dean knew him well enough to trust Baby with him, and hopefully Pip could find her way back to him.

Sam blew out a frustrated sigh. "Okay." Dean could see the tension radiating from Sam, as if the weight of the world hovered over him. "I was thinking we could look around the general area first, maybe she hasn't wandered far."

"If she hasn't tried to ditch us," Dean couldn't help but remind him.

Sam frowned and picked up the duffel bag, looping it over his shoulder. "We'll see." He turned a determined gaze to the sidewalk and started walking.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: It's been a while... sorry about that. It's been a combination of being busy with real life and not really inclined to write. Sorry again. Thank you to everyone that has read my story so far. :)**

* * *

The flashing police lights and crowd of people gathered on the sidewalk were what grabbed Sam's eye. After nearly an hour of him and his brother wandering around the vicinity, gradually moving outward, they had gotten no closer to finding Pip. For all their skills in hunting and finding people, she managed to evade them. _Or something has happened to her_ , he found himself thinking before forcing the thought out of his head. He needed to focus. The sight of the blinking red and blue lights was strangely comforting for once, and Sam found his attention gravitating towards it.

The mass of people were clustered outside of a place titled Murphy's Bar. One policeman stood questioning someone. The man being questioned held what looked like a bag of ice to his jaw and his arms were pressed tightly against his chest. A few other people stood slumped against the building or sat on the sidewalk, tugging their coats tighter as the temperature dipped even more. Bits of glass littered the ground, glittering in blues and reds. One of the pub's front windows was missing.

"Dean," Sam started, but his brother interrupted.

"Yeah." Dean held out a hand to cut Sam off. He started to move towards the police officer.

"Hang on," Sam interjected, latching on to his brother's arm before he could get very far. "We should be cautious. Remember what Pip told us before? Rowan uses the police as his eyes and ears. Let's wait until the officer is done."

"We don't know how long that will take. We could end up wasting too much time." Dean gently shrugged his brother's hand off. "We'll have to risk it. He can't have every cop in the nation. Besides, that sheriff dude―what was his name? Gandaro or something? He was at our bunker and we haven't gotten Rowan at our front door yet."

Sam tried to fight off the grimace he could feel forming on his face. Thousands of theories flickered through his mind, from good to bad. The sight in front of them did not look good, and if it was related to Pip, it was even worse. For a moment he wanted to speak up in her defense, reassure his brother that they could be misunderstanding everything. Instead he answered with a bland, "Fine." Sam's badge felt as if it were burning a hole in his pocket. Luckily he had decided to carry it with him, just in case, and now he wanted nothing more to just wave it around and get the whole thing dealt with quickly.

He pressed forward, schooling his face into a expression of cool confidence. The badge wasn't the only aspect of making a person believe the Winchesters were federal agents. Acting like one was just as important, and boy did he know how to act like one. Though he doubted New York officers would be impressed.

"Evening, officer," his brother said as the two of them approached the officer in the middle of questioning.

The man looked young, the lack of wrinkles and laugh lines showing his youth. He also didn't have the permanent dip between his eyebrows that Sam often saw on the police officers and sheriffs he questioned. At the Winchester's approach, the man lowered the pad of paper he had been writing on and tilted his cap back. His badge name was hard to make out in the low light, but Sam thought it read "Lowell."

"Excuse me, you're going to have to leave." Lowell lifted a hand towards them.

Sam and Dean flipped open their badges. "Officers Campbell and Raimi. Mind telling us what happened here?" Dean said, gesturing to the pub's wrecked appearance.

The officer glanced uncertainly at their badges. "Why would the feds be interested in this? From what this witness has told me, it's just a bar fight that got out of hand."

"We're looking for someone and we have reason to believe they may have been here. Has anyone mentioned seeing a young girl, possibly in her late teens or early twenties? Brown hair, about yea high, a bit flighty."

Sam didn't miss the man who was being questioned earlier suddenly stiffen at Dean's description.

"No one's mentioned someone like that so far, but I'll keep an eye out. You wouldn't happen to have a picture?" Lowell answered.

"No, unfortunately," Sam lied. "Mind if we ask around?" He gave a crisp smile.

The officer seemed ready to argue before relenting. He gave both of them a quick nod before heading inside the gutted pub.

"Have you seen anyone fitting that description?" Sam zeroed in on the man who reacted before.

"Nah," the man responded. His arms flexed as he looked away. "Doesn't ring a bell."

Sam swallowed a sound of frustration. "What's your name?"

The man locked eyes with him then. "Shane."

"Okay, Shane. We're looking for this girl because she's lost right now, and she needs our help. She's in trouble, but not with us." When the man didn't respond, Sam pressed again. "We're just trying to help."

Shane's jaw worked as he studied Sam. "Look," he finally grunted after several moments of silence. "I don't know nothing about her. She just kinda showed up out of nowhere. I told her she couldn't order anything other than food or soda or shit like that."

Sam felt himself deflate from relief. A step in the right direction, finally. "Did she say anything? Where she was going or anything like that?"

Shane shifted, gravel crunching under his boots. "She said she was looking for her brothers and she was going to meet them at a motel in the city, just didn't know which one. I told her to figure out some place else to meet them. She looked as if she figured it out, then. Something about a friend."

Sam could feel his heart pick up.

"Then some guy showed up, seemed to know her. I thought it was one of her brothers, but she said they weren't related."

An icy jab shot through his chest. "Who? Did you get a name?" _Rowan got to her first. We're too late._

"Nah," Shane responded, his voice stiff. "She looked real surprised to see him."

"Can you give a description? What did he look like?" Dean cut in.

"Skinny. Chicken-boned." Shane huffed and pressed the ice pack to his jaw again. "The piece of shit decided to pick a fight with Leslie, and then this happened." He gestured to the wreckage surrounding them. "If you find him, give him a solid punch for me. He's annoying."

The breath whooshed out of Sam in a sigh of relief. _Doesn't sound like Rowan._ "Thanks for your help," he said, shooting a quick nod before moving away. "Sounds like Finch," he murmured to his brother when they were farther away.

"Yeah. We can't escape him, apparently," Dean grumbled. "But we got something at least." His gaze dragged over Sam. "You lead the way, cowboy."

...

"My, Pip, you move quite fast when you're trying to avoid someone."

Pip could feel a sharp headache forming behind her eyes as Ollie piped up behind her.

Ollie jogged ahead a few steps to close the distance Pip had been trying to increase between them. "It's almost as if you're not grateful that I'm here."

"Have I been too subtle," Pip responded flatly.

"Yes, it's quite confusing. I'm never sure what you want from me."

"I assumed not starting a fight would be an easy one."

Ollie only gave a smug smile. "Now that you had no choice in. It was time to move on, might as well make a flashy exit. The only downside is that the Winchesters will probably catch on to it." His voice faded a bit as he glanced over his shoulder.

Pip perked up. "You think they'll come looking?"

Ollie studied her, his lips pursed slightly. "Naturally."

Pip very carefully kept her eyes trained forward. "Oh." They walked in silence for a few minutes before she spoke up again. "For me?"

"Mmmmm-hm."

She ducked her head, trying to ignore the small flutters of happiness in her stomach. "Oh." She paused in her steps then, looking at her surroundings. She had just been trying to get away from the bar, and now that they were a considerable distance away, she didn't know where to go.

 _Their friend_ , she reminded herself.

 _Idiot._ Amon's voice bounced around in her head.

"Ah, here we are." Ollie's voice grabbed Pip's attention, and she looked over to see him walking to one of the small shops near them.

"What are you talking about?" Pip muttered, her eyes narrowing as she watched Ollie.

He studied the doorway of the store before placing a hand on the wood and murmuring a quick spell. A glyph flashed briefly in a bright orange light before fading away. Audible clicks sounded from inside. Ollie turned to grin at her. "This way."

Before she could object, his hand snaked out and latched on to her, pulling her inside.


	6. Chapter 6

It took Pip several moments before she adjusted to her surroundings. Ollie's determined grip had dragged her through the doorway and several feet inside the building. Soft glows from neon lights outside were the only thing that lit the interior, and soft wisps of smoke obscured her vision.

"What do you mean 'here we are? " she demanded in a hiss, yanking her arm out of Ollie's grip. The door still yawned open and she inched towards it. "We weren't heading anywhere except away from that... bar place." She coughed at the cloying smell of smoke that hugged her throat, batting away the tendrils that surrounded her. "What is this place?"

"Merely a side-stop that can make our life a bit easier," was Ollie's reply. "There are several doorways to this place in New York. We were simply fortunate enough to stumble upon one so quickly." He paused, his head bobbing. "Maybe not. There are arguably an excessive amount of doorways to here." He lifted a hand and waggled his fingers, the movement making smoke swirl around him. "Just have to know the password." Pip could barely see his slim figure in front of her, and she angled her head towards the direction of his voice.

She flinched as she suddenly felt his hands dusting off her shoulders and forcing her upright. "Stand straight, Pip. We'll have to look good if we want to convince my friend to help us." He tugged at the front of her coat, adjusting it. He studied her when he was finished, his brows furrowed. "Perhaps we should have done a bit a shopping first. Oh well, this is all improv, anyway."

"I don't even know what that means," she grumbled, hunching over again. The sound of the door shutting behind her grabbed her attention, and she turned around in time to see the woman who was now cutting Pip off from her way out. "This way, please," the woman said dully. Her eyes were glazed over in a familiar way, and her movements were choppy and unnatural.

Pip's frustration at Ollie faded away. "Is that... the spell I think it is?" she asked, leaning towards him to whisper.

"Something similar, yes," he whispered back. When he grinned at her, she pulled away with a huff.

"This way, please," the woman repeated. She had moved several feet away and now stood waiting for them.

As the woman led them deeper into the building, the smoke seemed to cling to Pip's shoulders and ankles, and she fought the urge to bolt ahead. The place was still so dark she could hardly see, and the smoke did not help. The smell of it clogged her eyes and nose, making her feel dazed. When she finally tripped, she latched onto Ollie's arm.

"She does it on purpose," he said, leaning slightly to speak in a low voice.

"Does what?" she asked, flexing her fingers. She was tempted to let go and try walking on her own again. Another small stumble changed her mind.

"Make it difficult to move around." He halted, and Pip nearly fell again.

The woman opened a door and music spilled in. The room that lay beyond was nearly as dark, but Pip could make out a few lights shining on a collection of tables, chairs, and couches. The sound of various conversations drifted through.

Pip's fingers reflexively tightened on Ollie's arm, her mind bubbling anxiously. _What has he dragged me into?_

Ollie walked in with no hesitation, tugging her along, albeit more gently this time. The room looked similar to Murphy's Pub, only less crowded and smokier. Sets of couches and chairs dotted the room, most of them filled with one or two people in deep conversation. A few glanced their way, but for the most part, Pip and Ollie were ignored. A bar sat in the far back of the room, tucked into the corner. There was a small stage off to the side with a piano sitting on it, but it was empty.

After she examined her surroundings, Pip barely felt the sharp crackle of magic before a bright blue orb slammed into the wall next to them. The light exploded, and a blackened mark on the wallpaper sizzled and sputtered.

"Edward. Rochester," a voice seethed from the darkness.

Pip glanced around in a panic, searching for the source of the voice and the magic.

"Sienna," Ollie sang next to her, holding out his arms in an open gesture. "So good to see you."

"What the hell are you doing here?" A young woman emerged between two couches. Her dark, curly hair sat loosely tied on her head, soft strands falling down and brushing her face. She was dressed in a shimmery, long dress, several jewels glinting on her fingers and around her neck. Her eyes narrowed as she stared at Ollie, the gold make-up surrounding them making them look as if they were on fire.

The people around them only seemed mildly interested in the interaction, though a few of them turned away again. Pip scooted away from Ollie in case Sienna decided to launch some more magic.

As if reading her mind, Sienna cocked an arm back, blue light pooling into her palm. "You'll want to hurry up with your answer, Edward," she warned.

"I have a favor to ask," Ollie said in his silky voice. Immediately after he spoke, he suddenly shoved Pip to the side. Pip tumbled into one of the plush chairs that sat next to her and fell to the ground.

An explosion sounded in the spot where she and Ollie had previously been standing. Another black mark stretched along the ground where they had stood, the soot spreading onto the walls. Pip's mind reared back and she felt it nudge into the furniture as it seethed around her.

"Sienna, please," Ollie cooed. "Hear me out."

"You _stole_ from me." More blue light formed in Sienna's hands. The glow from her magic hugged the edges of her narrow face, making her look even more fierce. "The last time I trusted you, you stole from me. Why the hell would you come back here thinking you could ask for a favor, after you stole from me?" Her voice grew louder and louder until she spat the last word at Ollie.

"I never stole from you―" Ollie began.

"Don't play with me, pretty boy," Sienna interrupted. "I already got Jeremy to confirm it was you. Don't you dare lie to me. Who is this?"

Pip froze in her spot on the floor as she realized Sienna had abruptly switched topics and was now zeroing in on her. She stared wide-eyed up at the imposing woman whose eyes and jewelry glittered threateningly.

"A friend," Ollie said smoothly. His thin figure glided over to stand in front of Pip, separating her from Sienna.

Pip took the opportunity to scramble to her feet. Her eyes drifted to the open doorway behind them, her temptation to run away growing stronger. She wasn't sure she could make it through the hallway again, though.

"We need your help with a portal," Ollie continued.

"There's something off about her." Sienna was still targeting Pip with her fiery eyes. "Who is she?"

"Someone you probably don't want to frighten too much," Ollie sighed. His voice was a murmur, yet Sienna still seemed to hear him.

"What are you talking about?" Her eyes narrowed as she looked to him.

"It's a long story." Ollie must have taken Sienna's distraction as a sign she was calming down, because he straightened and adjusted his suit as if ready to carry on. "Are you ready to listen, now?"

Sienna locked on Ollie now but lowered her hand, the blue light fading away. "Fine," she sniffed. "I will humor you. But knowing you, it won't be worth my time and I'll just shoot you again." The woman turned around and began walking further into the room, the smoke obscuring her. "Follow me."

Ollie turned to Pip with a grin. "All according to plan," he whispered. Pip didn't feel convinced.

...

"So we were right," Sam said. "To call Jake, I mean."

Dean gave his brother a quick glance. Long enough to gauge his brother's words, short enough to hide his concern from Sam. It sounded as if Sam was reassuring himself. "Guess so," Dean grunted in response. He wasn't ready to get his hopes up, and he debated whether or not to warn Sam to not do the same.

"We can go to his place, and if she isn't there, one of us can start searching around that area. Or both."

Dean only grunted again. The long night was beginning to wear on him, despite the sleep he'd had in the Impala.

" _Psst._ "

The sharp whisper managed to drift its way to Dean in a rare moment where the city's noise lulled. It grabbed Dean's attention and his steps faltered. His hand hovered over the gun slipped into his jeans.

"What the hell?" Dean muttered, his gaze falling on a dark alleyway near them. Sam picked up on Dean's sudden halt and slowed to a stop. His hand also slid to his knife and he carefully set his bag down.

"What?" Sam asked. "What is it?"

" _Psst_ ," the whisper sounded again. "Over here."

Dean's exhaustion fueled his frustration to breaking levels. In one smooth motion he pulled out his gun and took long strides into the dark alley. Whatever game this was, he didn't have the time or the patience to play it. "Who the hell are you?" he asked the dark alleyway, carefully scanning for movement. Sam followed behind, covering his back. "Where are you?" Dean added.

"Over here." A small girl emerged from a shadowed area underneath a fire escape. She was wrapped in a puffy green coat several sizes too big for her. Her legs looked like skinny twigs in comparison, sticking out from beneath the layers. A beanie covered her head with a few dark curls poking out. Her dark eyes looked beady in the dimly lit area, and her thick eyeliner only accented the effect.

Dean hesitated. He originally had planned to attack anything that moved, but the sight of just a kid had thrown him off. Only for a moment, at least. He had learned many times to not trust what you see.

He charged at the girl, shoving her back into the hard wall behind her. She tried to dodge out of the way, but he grabbed her before she slipped away. "What the hell do you want?" he growled, leaning in to glare at her. He could feel Sam's wary presence behind him, always hovering. He knew Sam was probably unhappy with Dean's reaction, but Dean didn't care. He was tired and he wanted to be finished with this night as soon as possible.

The girl wriggled. She gripped the arm that was pressing her against the wall and met Dean's glare with her own. "I have information you'll want to hear," she said, tilting her chin up defiantly. Her voice was clipped and accented.

"What information?" Dean asked, his voice flat. He pressed an arm across her collarbone, stepping closer. He would squeeze it out of her if he had to.

"The girl you were looking for." She shifted under the pressure of Dean's arm. "I know where she is."

"Spit it out then." Dean eased back after the girl hacked out a wheeze. He hadn't realized just how much pressure he was putting on her. Both literally and figuratively.

"The witch." The girl's dark eyes narrowed. "She's with the witch, whatever name you know him as."

"That's something we already know, kid."

"Yes, but I can take you to them. You won't be able to reach them otherwise." A slow smile crawled across her face. "You need a witch too."

"And what do you want in return?" Sam asked from behind Dean. His voice stretched into weary tones.

"Nothing," the girl said, lifting her chin again stubbornly. "Except hurt the witch as much as you can."

Dean's brows lifted. "Hurt him?"

"Yes," she answered. "You are hunters, so it is fine. You hunt witches, yes?" Her eyes flashed a challenge. "I will lead you to one."

"I'm guessing you don't like him very much."

"No one likes him." She spat to the side. "He is backstabber, liar, and thief. Not worthy of being named a witch."

"Hmm." The sound escaped Dean in a low grumble. He could work with this. The girl was tough, and didn't particularly care about Sam and Dean. They were just a means to her own end, and Sam and Dean would get what they wanted. It seemed simple to him.

"How do you know where they are?" Suspicion clouded Sam's expression. "And how did you know we were looking for them?"

"I followed Edward as soon as he showed in New York. He is hard to miss. After he went with your friend, I circled back to Murphy's to find out who she was, and I heard your conversation. He should still be where I last saw him, but..." Her voice trailed off and she waved a hand. "But we should hurry up. I am tired of waiting around, aren't you? I don't like you, and you don't like me, but we both like Edward less. It is a simple trade-off."

"If you don't like him that much, why don't you deal with him?" Dean didn't know why he was making it complicated by asking, but curiosity drove him.

Anger flashed in her eyes and she grit her teeth. "I cannot," she finally spat out, her voice a razors.

"Whatever." Dean released her and stepped back. He didn't care enough to find out more than that.

When he let go, she slumped forward and rubbed her chest. A red mark bloomed there from Dean's arm, but it disappeared behind her thick coat as she zipped it up.

"Lead the way, then." Dean's voice was like sandpaper. "But a fair warning."

The girl stared up at him under dark lashes, her feet spread wide in a stance as stubborn as her expression. "What?"

"If you make us, we will kill you."


	7. Chapter 7

Sam followed behind his brother as the girl led them through the city. She moved fast, a slim sliver of color that bobbed in front of them, looping through alleyways and side streets. _Apparently she's lived here for a while_ , he thought grimly. That put them at a disadvantage. The girl hopped over pot holes and dodged trash cans as if she'd done it a million times.

Sam couldn't see her face, but every time she looked at them to see if they were still following, her expression seemed determined. Sam didn't know what to think of her. Maybe he didn't want to start trusting another person so soon, so easily. _Am I going soft?_ Dean's reaction to the girl had startled him, but it was something he should be used to. Too many times had they been betrayed, tricked, lied to. He used to think he was supposed to be the sensible brother. He was supposed to handle the responsibilities that Dean forgot. But too much kindness could get them killed. Again.

The young girl's slow stop brought Sam out of his swirling thoughts, forcing his eyes to look at the doorway she had halted in front of. It's thick metal exterior was covered in multiple colorful posters and stickers, many of them scraped away or covered with new ones. The girl pressed a hand against the door's impromptu wallpaper and a rune flared up behind the layers, giving a muted glow for a moment before fading. Dean stiffened at the clunking sounds that echoed behind the door. Sam fingered his knife where it was tucked into his pants, reflecting his brother's wariness.

Smoke and darkness spilled out of the doorway as the door swung open. There was nothing as far as Sam could see. No movement or figures; only blackness. Fortunately the girl went first and Dean followed her, the two of them swallowed by the dark. Sam reluctantly went after them.

A woman approached the three of them as they entered, giving instructions to follow her. But the young girl waved her off and the woman backed away. "This way," the girl said, glancing over her shoulder. She moved confidently into the smoke, looking as comfortable as she had in the alleys.

Sam slipped his knife into his hand in a quick motion. Dean seemed to have the same idea, and his gun was now in his hand, partially obscured by the smoke. Hopefully the girl wouldn't notice their weapons out. Sam didn't plan on hurting her, but it was better not to spook her.

They were led deeper into the darkness with no walls or doors visible around them. Sam felt as if he were moving through a dream. The smoke seemed as if it were slowing down his steps into sluggish movements. A shudder worked its way down his shoulders at the unpleasant sensation. He didn't want to be here any longer than he had to be.

Fortunately another doorway yawned in front of them, lights and music drifting through. Sam loosened the tense posture he had been holding as they stepped into the room, his head rotating around as he studied the place.

Beyond a suspicious scorch mark on the floors and walls, the placed seemed like a typical club, if a bit more speakeasy-styled rather than modern decor, and more high class than sleazy. The patrons were all young and well-dressed, and Sam's sight zeroed in on a few tattoos some of them sported. "These are all witches, Dean," he murmured to his brother, recognizing the symbols.

"Fun," his brother muttered in response. He angled himself towards the girl. "Alright, where is she?"

"They should be here somewhere," she answered, her head swiveling as she scanned the room.

"Even more fun," Dean said, shoving his way forward. "Hide and seek it is."

...

The sheer size of the room they were led into took Pip by surprise. Something about the dense darkness this place had made her imagine it was a small, condensed area. But this room was wide and well-lit, a stark contrast to the area they had just left. Even more surprising was a large bed that sat against the wall, gauzy drapes hanging lazily from wooden poles.

 _This is a bedroom?_ she thought, gazing around the space in shock. She couldn't understand who would need so much room.

"Alright, Edward," Sienna spoke, her voice a sigh. She walked to a set of sofas and chairs off to the side of the room and kicked off her heels, leaving them scattered across the floor. Pulling out the pins that had been holding up her hair, she shook her head, letting the curls tumble down. She waved a hand at one of the chairs and sat down, pouring a drink from a nearby glass container. After taking a sip she made a face. "Ech, warm." Despite her reaction she swirled the drink and took another long gulp, swallowing it fast.

Pip was reluctant to sit down, but Ollie took a seat across from Sienna, draping himself over the seat and leaning back. Pip shifted uncomfortably as she hovered at Ollie's side. It felt too eerily familiar from her days with her father, standing at his side, so she gave in and took a seat.

"We need help with a portal," Ollie began.

"Plenty of witches know doorway spells, including yourself." Sienna replied instantly, pouring herself another drink.

"We plan on getting into somewhere a bit more... complicated than most witches can handle."

"Where?" Sienna's question was like an arrow, bluntly pinning Ollie down. She sipped at her drink.

"Rowan's library." Ollie's response was just as blunt.

Sienna twitched, though the reaction came and went so quickly Pip doubted she saw it in the first place. "Rowan's library..." Her voice was a murmur. "Any particular reason? Or are you just feeling suicidal today?"

Ollie gave a grim smile in response.

"I asked you a question." Sienna leaned forward, her eyes flashing. "I'm not helping you without knowing everything that's going on. I'm not walking into any traps, Edward. Especially not with anything that has to do with Rowan."

"It's nothing so dramatic," Ollie replied, placating Sienna's heated words. "We just wish to take a few things, poke around." His gaze slid to the side. "Burn everything."

Sienna barked out a laugh. "You _are_ feeling suicidal. You want to destroy Rowan's library? For what? Are you feeling like a uhh, how would you call it?" She waved a hand, giving another short chuckle as she sought the word. "Activist? Revolutionary? I can solve all your problems now, Edward, just _give up_. Nothing to worry about, then."

Ollie's finger tapped out a rhythm on the chair's arm and he scratched at his jaw with the other hand. "Whether or not you are optimistic about our ability to do this, will you make a portal? I'm sure you can find a way to hide your involvement. At least, I assume you're capable of doing so. All we need is a doorway to step through, and we'll take care of the rest."

Sienna sniffed. "Hm, you don't instill much faith in me, but perhaps. What role do you play, then, girl?" She shifted her gaze to Pip. "What has Edward offered you?"

Pip tensed, glancing at Ollie. "I..." Her voice trailed off. "I just want to destroy the library."

"Rowan's daughter." Ollie supplied the statement automatically and Pip stiffened in response. He seemed eager to tell everyone who she was.

"Daughter?" Sienna straightened, leaning forward in her seat to stare intently at Pip. "So you are the demon girl." Her voice was a soft murmur but her eyes were sharp. "No wonder I sensed something about you. Your father's magic must truly be strong if I had not felt the demon."

Pip watched Sienna carefully, tamping down on her impulse to squirm under Sienna's gaze. She hadn't known her inner demon was common knowledge to strangers.

"I wish to speak with him," Sienna said suddenly.

"What?" Pip blinked. "Who?"

"The demon." Sienna's command was clipped and impatient. "Can you do that?"

Pip stared at Sienna in confusion before looking to Ollie for answers. Ollie was frustratingly silent. "N-no," Pip stammered. She knew she could do it; there had been only one time where she gave Amon control of her body. It had been a day where she had completely given up and didn't want to face the world, so she made Amon do it instead. The sensation had been unsettling, but she hadn't cared at the time. When she took over again, though, she convinced herself she wouldn't do it again. The fear of losing control, of not being able to push Amon down again, made her too afraid to repeat it.

"No you can't, or no you won't?" Sienna's eyes were narrowed now and she crossed a leg over her knee. Her drink was dangerously close to spilling out of the glass.

"No," Pip repeated. "I won't."

"Hmm. You both seem intent on asking favors of me without giving much in return."

"Is that what you would want in exchange, then?" Ollie interjected. He leaned forward, his gaze suddenly sharpened.

 _He's ready for a business deal_ , Pip thought, studying him warily. She wasn't sure she liked being bartered off like this. Especially with something she was reluctant to do. "Exchange?" she whispered at him sharply. Her fingers dug into the plush chair.

But the two seemed focused on each other, ignoring Pip. "Fifteen minutes of freedom in the library to take what I wish before you do what you plan to do," Sienna answered before turning back to Pip and looking her up and down. "And a conversation with the demon to satisfy my curiosity."

A sharp ache in her palm forced Pip to release the death grip she had on the chair. "That isn't―"

"Five minutes," Ollie interrupted. "We both know five minutes is already too much time. Who knows how quickly Rowan will notice what's happening. Especially if you plan on nicking his collections."

"Well, then, we'll just have to be quick. Ten."

"Wait―"

"Deal." Ollie held out a hand towards Sienna and Pip stared at it in shock as they shook. She could feel a flurry of emotions flutter through Amon's mind. Amusement at the ordeal, eagerness to take control, and a constant hum of anger that always seemed to settle under the surface. The heat of emotions bubbled up, as if Amon were ready to break out at any moment.

Anxiety gripped at Pip, unsure if she would be willing to deny Sienna, or if she would be able to avoid Ollie's plan. He always seemed to make things go his way, no matter how hard she tried to avoid him.

"Just to make things clear, Edward, I will do nothing more than make the portal and take what I wish. Beyond that," she spread her hands, "beyond that is up to you. Do not expect me to be as much of an ally as I was in previous days."

Though Ollie didn't respond, she seemed to be satisfied, and she turned to Pip again. A smirk eased across her face in a slow crawl. "And now, my promised conversation with a demon."


End file.
